San Diego’s Very Own Mudville
Ever wonder how Mudville Flats’ name came to be?
Or the significance behind the name choice?
Well like many other things at Mudville Flats, it’s about baseball.
The term ‘Mudville’ itself is very synonymous with not just the sport of baseball, but the culture, originating from the poem, ‘Casey at the Bat’ which was written by the well-known poet, Ernest Thayer.
Mudville is the name of the fictional hometown and home team in the piece. We’ll explain the poem in more detail in the next coming paragraphs.
Being located in San Diego’s Baseball District and being so close to San Diego’s very own baseball stadium, Petco Park, the naming of Mudville Flats made sense. To bring a piece of the fictional hometown to reality right in San Diego. A nod to Thayer’s poem, America’s sport of baseball, and the hope felt in ‘Casey at the Bat.’
Just a few of the decor at Mudville Flats.
And if you ever stay or get the chance to visit Mudville Flats, walk around to look at some of the decor and memorabilia. Because you might recognize a few autographs and pictures of some greats like Mickey Mantle, Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio, and Willie McCovey..
‘Casey at the Bat’ by Ernest Thayer
Now to explain the poem, ‘Casey at the Bat’, a phrase you also may recognize. Most people don’t know the story behind it or how it came into existence. ‘Casey at the Bat’, written by Ernest Thayer, was used to tell the story of the final half-inning of a baseball sport game. It’s now considered one of the best poems in American literature.
The poem starts out with Mudville, the home team, losing 4 to 2 in the final inning. The first two batters for Mudville are quickly striked out by the pitcher, but on the other hand, the next two are able to get on base safely, setting them up for a potential comeback.
Now the team is left with the next batter, Mighty Casey, who also happen to be also the star hitter, Mighty Casey. As Thayer puts it, Mighty Casey gets two pitches right down the middle of the plate but confidently passes them up, waiting for an even better pitch and keeping everyone on their feet. The crowd is in agitation because a next strike would lose the game for Mudville.
When the pitcher throws the third pitch, Mighty Casey strikes out swinging hard and loses the game. At the end, Thayer notes that in other favored places, the sun is out and people are laughing.
But not in Mudville. ‘There is no joy in Mudville—mighty Casey has struck out.’ Read the entire poem here.
So the next time you think of Mudville Flats, think of the town of Mudville and the story of Mighty Casey.
But don’t strike out like Mighty Casey did.
Experience a piece of baseball and San Diego’s very own Mudville.
Book your stay at Mudville Flats today.
Mudville Flats is located in Downtown San Diego and is surrounded by many restaurants most within a short walk. One of our favorite restaurants in the area who we always refer our guests to is the Neighborhood. This London style gastropub boasts around 20 microbreers on tap along with a simple straight forward menu with contemporary cooking techniques applied to Traditional American cuisine. 